Crochet Techniques

The basics of crochet are very simple. Once you have made a basic chain you are well on your way, as even the most complicated and decorative stitches are just variations on this simple stitch.

These instructions are for a right-handed person. If you are left-handed, look at the step images in a mirror and they will show you the correct way to do the stitch.

Holding the hook and yarn
There are many individual ways of holding the hook and yarn in crochet and it may feel awkward at first. Here are just two examples—choose whichever variation seems to come naturally to you.

1. Hold the hook in your right hand as you would a knife.
2. Hold the hook in your right hand as you would a pencil.

Wrap the ball end of the yarn around the little finger of your left hand, passing it under the third or middle finger and over your forefinger, using the forefinger to create tension.

OR Wrap the ball end of the yarn around the little finger of your left hand, passing it over the middle finger. Hold the work steady with your thumb and forefinger, using the middle finger to create tension.
 
Make a slipknot
Make a loop in the yarn. With your crochet hook catch the ball end of the yarn and draw through loop. Pull firmly on yarn and hook to tighten knot to create your first loop.
 
Making a chain
1. To make a chain, hold the tail end of yarn with the left hand and bring the yarn over hook (yoh] by passing hook in front of the yarn, under and around it.

2. Keeping the tension in the yarn taut, draw the hook and yarn through the Loop.

3. Pull the yarn and hook through the hole and begin again, ensuring that the stitches are fairly loose. Repeat to make the number of chain required. As the chain lengthens keep hold of the bottom edge to maintain the tension.
 
 
How to count a chain
To count the stitches, use the right side of the chain, or the side that has more visible and less twisted "V" shapes, as shown. Don't count the original, slip stitch, but count each "V" as one chain.
 
Make a slip stitch
A slip stitch is used to join one stitch to another or a stitch to another point, as in joining a circle, and is usually made by picking up two strands of a stitch. However, where it is worked into the starting chain only pick up the back loop.

1. Insert the hook into the back loop of the next stitch and pass yarn over hook (yoh), as in chain stitch.
2. Draw yarn through both loops on stitch and repeat.